Okay, this is another double post about two different topics. I had on my mind, the murder of the TV reporter and camera man in Virginia, and the past weekend boxing match between Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares.
I'll start with the Virginia murders first. I was tempted to do a Podcast on this one, but I didn't think I had a whole lot to say about it. It's a fundamental thing really. This guy was an African American, former model, who worked for the new station for years before he was fired due to issues with his mental health, and his refusal to rectify it as they saw fit. He comes back 2 years after being fired, and kills a reporter and camera man. The reporter was one that he had issues with according to him. Apparently, he made everything public on Twitter, and uploaded videos and footage of his life, as well as what he intended to do. I notice that there was very little focus on his life, outside of claims about him being severely mental, and violent.
I watched CNN for the past week, talk for hours about how ill he was, and interview his former boss. What struck me, was when I found that he claimed he was discriminated against constantly on that job. And then, I saw the footage of him working as a reporter over the period of his time there. His coworkers seemed to teeter back and forth between saying he was constantly unstable, and him being seemingly normal from what I heard. When his boss was interviewed, and asked about the discrimination claims, his inability to give a coherent response also disturbed me. CNN brushed that aside, but it is an issue. Even when the boyfriend of the murdered reporter was interviewed about her, it was very disturbing to watch him be unable to stop smiling from ear to ear and joking. That was very odd. The murderer was said to have been a fan of the many famous mass murderers of the last few years, and a justifier of them. In the end, what the news decided to go with was a sick and unstable man, who randomly decided to kill his coworkers. Then they parlayed that into the gun laws.
My point is that, while he was likely mentally ill- as most today are, the incident started somewhere. From what I've seen, I believe he was discriminated against. Since I've moved into the area I live now, I've become more aware to things than before. There are many people in this sick country, who will seem normal to a passerby, but be a self-destructive, and ravenous racist behind the scene. It really doesn't make any sense to me. I've ran into mechanics, medical worker, and other business owners since I've been in upstate NY, who will seem so innocent and friendly, just like those at that news station, and then go out of their way to be spiteful and racist the minute the stage is set. I can't help but believe that he experienced some of that during his time there. I don't justify what he did, as it is wrong, but we have to stop ignoring the real roots of many of these issues.
For instance, now that law enforcement is suffering casualties due to gun violence, there is a sense of urgency, when their mistreatment of civilians is more of a problem. Racism and stupidity is a huge and growing epidemic here. People are generally unstable. What do you think is going to happen in an economically unstable climate, where someone is struggling to eat, and dealing with racists who oppress them for nothing other than blind hatred? There will be more cases just like this. And rather than attack and address the real issue, there is always some scapegoat, like mental illness to use. They proposed a lifetime monitoring of mentally ill patients who own fire arms. Nothing will get better with that approach. The same people peddling that solution, think nothing of the way they treat certain people, and then are shocked when something goes down.
In boxing news, Leo Santa Cruz destroyed Abner Mares on Saturday, like I knew he could. Teddy Atlas said it best when he said Cruz rose to the occasion. I said the same thing. I knew he had ability in him, and I expected him to shock a lot of people and outbox Mares. The only people who probably saw it coming, were some of the fighters at the Mayweather gym, who saw him train there a short while ago. Most people think he has no skill because he brawls for the fans. I like the fact that he has a drive to stay undefeated. That carried him through this fight, with a very game and dangerous Mares. Abner fought very hard, and I think he was embarrassed and shocked by the whooping he took after all of his disrespectful talk. I started to dislike him during the build up to this fight. He was out of line with his derogatory statements and behavior.
Just like Teddy said, Abner tried to keep the fight in the clinch, and hold when being hurt. He threw endless flurries of hooks, but Leo did a very good job of getting distance, and evading and countering with the right hand. He worked the jab beautifully, and showed that he had the circular movement that he needed for a charging Mares. Even in short range exchanges, Leo proved to have the better defense and sharper offense, cracking Mares, and forcing him to regroup. I was actually expecting a KO late, but Leo pulled back and boxed very defensively in the last few rounds.
The shocker is that Abner tried to act like he wants a rematch. The truth is that he doesn't deserve one. The stupid media started stoking those flames after the fight. No one deserves a rematch after losing 10 rounds badly. Abner tried very hard, and moved well at times, even rushing Leo in the first 2 rounds, but Leo showed that he is that much better, hurting and lacing Abner the entire fight. The gap showed. There is no need for a rematch. At this point, he can take on the bigger names like a Lomachenko. We'll see what happens.
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